The Oshkosh Defense P-19R Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting (ARFF) vehicle program for the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) has reached its Initial Operating Capability (IOC) milestone, the company announced, Jan. 6.

“When an emergency strikes, Marines need to be able to respond quickly without worrying about whether the vehicle can handle the environment it’s going into,” said Pat Williams, vice president and general manager of Army and Marine Corps programs for Oshkosh Defense. “The P-19R provides Marines with unparalleled off-road mobility, advanced firefighting capabilities and the latest military-class vehicle technologies, which gives Marine first responders increased flexibility in unpredictable situations encountered on scene during firefighting operations.”

Oshkosh was awarded the initial contract in May 2013 and successfully completed all required government development testing and evaluation and readiness reviews. In August of 2016, the vehicle reached the Full Rate Production (FRP) milestone. Oshkosh began delivering the first P-19Rs in June of 2017 and in total, Oshkosh has received orders for 160 P-19R vehicles for deliveries through 2019. To date, Oshkosh has delivered 60 P-19Rs to the U.S. Marine Corps.

The P-19R vehicle is the reliable, state-of-the-art solution built to help firefighting crews effectively respond and carry out the mission. The P-19R delivers unprecedented levels of performance and acceleration with its 600 horsepower engine that allows for speeds up to 70 mph. The P-19R will replace the P-19A fleet, which was first fielded in 1984 and is reaching the end of its service life.